Antiaircraft projectile



y N. D'oRsANEo ANTIAIRCRAFT PROJECTILE Filed July 26, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Dec. 3, 1929. N. D'oRsANEo ANTIAIRCRAFT PROJECTILE Filed Jul'y 26, 1928 2 Sheets-Shee'` 2 bma,

NTLIZV Patented Dec. 3, 1929 UNiTED STATES PATENT FFHCE ANTIAIBCRAFT PROJECTIJE Application led July 26,

This invention relates to explosive shells and it has more particular reference to antiaircraft projectiles of the cylindro-conoidal foprn, more commonly designated as shraprlhe primary object of this'inventio'n is tov volleys of missiles; or, in other words, my.v

novel projectile during its trajectory,.ante rior to actual explosion, emits a substantially conoidal succession of slugs or bullets which in-themselves have a progressively-expanding trajectory relative to that of the projectile itself. j

A further aim of my inventioniis to provide a novel form of projectile which, when exploded, breaks into more or less uniform portions of a highly destructive character whereby the range of efficiency is considerably enhanced.

A still further object is to provide an antiaircraft projectile which is comparatively simple to construct, highly efficient in its de structive capacity, and relatively economlcal to manufacture. y

rI he nature of my invention will be best appreciated on reference to the accompanying drawings, in which I have shown onefpractical embodiment thereof, and which will now be described in detail; it being premised, however, that various changes may be made in the details of construction and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit or scope of my invention as defined in the appendedclaims.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section of my novel anti-aircraft projectile taken approximately on the plane indicated by the staggered line 1-1 in Fig. 3, with the explosive media mostly omitted for-clearness in illustration.

Fig. 2 is a somewhat similar illustration with the projectile, per se, in outside eleva- 1928. Serial No. 295,501.`

ion, and the shell in axial longitudinal secion. Y

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken substan- ,tially on the plane 3-3 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4. is a fragmentary view in sectional perspective of a portion of the projectile casing or `body. j

'Fig 4a is a fragmentary sectional detail, hereinafter fully explained.

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic perspectiveview 6o illustrative of the initial trajectoryof my novel projectile towards a number of aeroplanes flying in mass formation.

Fig. 6 is a similar view exemplary of the separation of the projectile from its carrying shell; and, as having effected some destructive hits, and, i

Fig. 7 is .acorresponding view showingthe destructive enectsincident to explosion of the projectile. Y

In all the views similar 'parts are designated by corresponding reference characters. Referring more in detail firstly to Figs. 1 to 4:, the numeral 5 designates a cylindrical shell of substantially conventional type, with the exception that it is configured at its closed in end 6 to provide arfrusto-conical chamber 7 with anv annular shoulder 8 on which the projectile 9 is adapted to seat with interposition of an appropriate sealing'gasket 10.- It 80 is to be remarked that the asket 10 seats in registering grooves, provi ed for the purpose, in the annular shoulder 8 and the hollow base portion 11 ofthe projectile 9, respectively. Furthermore, it will be seen that the .projectile 9 also seats with a friction Afit Iin the flared open end 12 ofthe shell and that it is securely sealed thereinto by means of a circumferential band or lock collar embodying a burred over portion 18, and a relatively slight enlargement 14; which, in conjunction with a second band or collar 15, afford bearing for the shell 5 over the gun barrelnot shown-rifling with a minimum of friction.

Referring now to the projectile 9 it will 95 be seen thesame comprises a main or body portion 16ofoutwardly-flaringortaperlongitudinal section that merges into an inwardlyflaring or frusto-conoidalportion 17 to which the nose or time fuse 18fis secured in (conven- 100 ly furrowed by a Series of spaced grooves 19,

20 which divide the entire inner surface into v sections 21 of approximately rectangular contour; whereas said groovings 19, 2O serve for more facile disruption of said projectile, as hereinafter explained. It is further to be remarked that the projectile body portion 16 is firmly and securely attached to the hollow or dished base 11 by' means of a screw threaded projection 22 of the latter .taking into'a correspondingly threaded bore 23 in the bottom of the former.

Longitudinally of the outer face of the projectile body portlon 16 I form or bore a series of equally spaced tubes or barrels 24, the upper ends of which terminate in the frustoconoidal portion 17 while the major portion of their length is interrupted to form openings 25 in the outer surface of said body portion 16; it being observable these openings 25 are widest adjacent the base 11 of the proj ectile 9and that they inwardly converge uniformly to the apices 126 thereof. The tubes or barrels 24 are substantially filled with slug or shot 27 of suitable gauge, and they are sealed or closed in at their upper ends by plugs 28 of appropriate material to prevent spilling, but of a sufficiently non-resistive character to prevent easy ejection when the projectile is fired, as hereafter explained.

Connected into the time fuse 18 is the ignition tube 29 which is forked to provide diverging sections 30 that are sealed 1n apertures 'through the projectile body portion 16 to provide terminals 31 which protrude into the space 32 intervening the projectile 9 and the 'shell 5 above the base 11. Short ignition tubes 33 are fitted through the base 11 to af ford communication from the space 32 into the frusto-conical chamber T whereas an axial ignition tube 34 passes through the screw-threaded extension 22 to afford firing connection from the chamber 7 into the projectile 9, it being noteworthy that said tube 34 is of a length to enter the projectile sufficiently to ensure effective explosion of the charge therein and total disruption of the body portions 16, 17. f

ln some cases, and where it is desirable the projectile 9 be of extremely high capacity in so far as firing a veritable hail of slu s or shot 27 is concerned, l may make the ody portion 16 as shown fragmentarily in' Fig. 4ta. That is to say, it is of somewhat corrugated cross-section transversely to provide relatively closevtubular grooves or barrels 24;, as will be well understood by those conversant with the art; and in this event, ll dispense-with the longitudinal grooves 19 hereinbefore referred to, as the pointed mergings 24h between the grooves or barrels 24C will serve the same purpose. Hence it is only necsaryL-if so deemedto provide the circumferential grooves 20, as hereinbefore described. Y

Now, assuming the interior of the projectile 9 is packed with appropriate explosive 35, the space 32 with vexplosive 36, and the chamber 7 with explosive 37, it will be readily understood from Figs. 5, 6 and 7, when said projectile is fired the trajectory cycle is briefly as follows:

After the projectile 9 has traversed the predetermined distance and the time fuse 18 ignited the explosive 36 will be firstly fired by way of the diverging tube sections 30, 31, thereby projecting all of the slug or. shot 27 with volley sequence in progressively-expanding rings 38 as diagrammatically portrayed in Fig. 5. Subsequent ignition of the explosive 37 in the chamber 7 by wayof the short tubes 33 separates the projectile 9 from the shelll 5, as conventionally shown in Fig. 6; and final ignition of the explosive 35 in said projectile results in its complete dismemberment into sections 21, with disasterous efy fect to the planes 39 as shown in Fig. 7. y

From the foregoing it is thought my invention will be fully understood, while it will be obvious that numerous detail changes and structural variations can be eected without departing from the spirit and scope of said invention; accordingly, I reserve the right to make such modifications as the scope of the subjoined claims reasonably warrant.

Having thus described my invention what l claim, is

1. A device of the character described comprising a shell with an internal shoulder in spaced relation to the base thereof, an interitted projectile seating on said shoulder and defining with the shell independent explosive chambers, and means about the projectile charged with shot adapted for volley ring before the projectile explodes.

2. A device ofthe character described comprising a shell with an internal shoulder in spaced relation to the base thereof, an interftted projectile seating on said shoulder and defining with the shell independent explosive chambers, and means about the projectile charged with shot adapted for sequential volley firing before the projectile is discharged from the shell for subsequent explosion.

3. A device ofthe character described comprisin .a ,shell with an internal shoulder in space relation to the bottom thereof, an interfitted projectile seating on said shoulder and defining with the shell independent explosive chambers, and a series of tubes about the projectile filled with shot adapted for initial volley firing before the projectile is released from the shell for subsequent explosion. f

4l. A device of the character describe-d comprisin `a shell .with an internal shoulder in space relation to the bottom thereof, an intertted projectile seating on said shoulder and defining with the shell independent explosive chambers, and a series of longitudinally directed tubes about the projectile charged with shot adapted for firing in sequential volleys before the projectile 1s freed from the shell for subsequent explosion.

5. A device of the character described comprising a shell with an internal shoulder in spaced relation to the bottom thereof, an interfitted projectile seating on said shoulder and defining with the shell independentexplosive chambers, and a series of longitudinally directed in part semi-open Vbarrels in the projectile wall charged kwith shot adapted for firing in sequential ring volleys of progressively-expanding diameter before the projectile is freed from the shell for lsubsequent explosion.

6. A device of the character described comprising a shell with an internal shoulder spaced from its bottom, an interfitted projectile of tapering-conoidal form Seating on said shoulder and defining with the shell a frusto-conical and an annular explosive chamber, ignition tubes yaffording communication from the projectile time fuse into the respective explosive chambers' and into said projectile, and a series of longitudinally directed in part semi-open barrels filled with shot adapted for initial volley firing before the projectile is freed from the shell for subsequent explosion.

A device of the character described comprising a shell with lan internal shoulder spaced from its bottom, an interfitted projeotileof tapering-conoidal form having a dished base seating on said shoulder and defining with the shell a substantially frustoconical and an annular explosive chamber, the latter being of acute-triangulate longitudinal section, a forked ignition tube connecting the projectile time fuse with the trianUulate-section explosive chamber, ignition tu es affording" communication between the last mentioned chamber and the frustro-conical chamber and from the latter into the projectile, and a series of longitudinally directed barrels filled with shot about the projectile, said barrels having narrow outwardly-convergent openings into the annular explosive chamber aforesaid, whereby the shot is fired in sequential ring volleys of progressivelyexpanding diameter before the projectile is freed from its shell and explodes.

8. -A device of the character described comprising a shell with an internal shoulder spaced from its bottom, an interfitted projectile of tapering-conoidal form having a dished base seating on said shoulder with interposition of suitable sealing means and definingrwith the shell a substantially frustoconical and an annular explosive chamber, the latter being of acute-triangulate longitudinal section, a forked ignition tube connecting the projectile time fuse with the Wider lower part of the triangulate-section explosive chamber, ignition tubes affording communication between the last mentioned chamber and the frustro-conical chamber and from the latter into the projectile, and a series of longitudinally directed barrels filled with shot about the projectile, said barrels having narrow outwardly-convergent openings into the annular explosive chamber aforesaid, Whereby the shot is fired in sequential ring volleys of progressively-expanding diameter before the projectileis freed from its shell and explodes.

9. A device of the character described com? nular explosive chambers, whereby said shot is successively volley red before the projectile explodes, and means securing the shell and projectile together.

10. A device of the character described comprising a cylindrical shell with an internal shoulder spaced from its closed in bottom, a tapering-conoidal projectile having a dished base seating on said shoulder with interposition of sealing means, said projectile defining in the shell a substantially frusto-conical and an annular acute-triangulate section explosive chambers, ignition tubes successively connecting the projectile time fuse into the respective explosive chamberse and from the frusto-conical chamber into said projectile, a series of longitudinal barrels rfilled with shot about the exterior wall of the projectile with tapering elongate slots opening into the annular explosive'chamber,b whereby said shot is successively volley fired before the projectile explodes, a lock collar securing the projectile in the shell and having a slightly enlarged section, and a second collar about the shell spaced from its bottom jointly affording with the enlarged section aforesaid rifie bearing for the device.'

11. A device of the character described comprising a cylindrical shell with an internal shoulder spaced from its closed in bottom, a tapering-conoidal projectile having a dished base seating on said shoulder with interposition of sealing means, said projectile being of corrugate cross-section and defining in the shell a substantially frusto-conical and an annular acute-triangulate section 'explosive chambers, ignition tubes successively connecting the projectile time fuse into the respective explosive chambers and from the frusto-conical chamber into said projectile, a. series of longitudinal barrels illed with shot about the exteriorwall of the projectile with tapering f elongate slots' opening'into the annular explosive chamber, whereby said shot is successively volley fired before the projectile explodes,a lock collar securing the projectile in the shell and having a slightly enlarged section, and a second collar about the shell spaced from its bottom jointly aording with the enlarged section aforesaid rifle bearing for the device. u

12. A device of the character descrjibed comprising a cylindrical shell with an internal shoulder spaced from its closed in bottom, a tapering-colloidal projectile with lon? gitudinal and lateral groovings about its inner face and a dished'base seating on the s hell shoulderv with interposition of a sealing annulus, said projectile setting apart in the shell an acute-triangulate annular explosive chamber and a frusto-conical similar chamber, ignition tubes connectingl the projectile,

time fuse with such explosive chambers and back int said projectile, outwardly diverging barrels filled with shot around the projectile having tapering openings into the first mentioned explosive chamber, a. lock collar securing the projectile in the shell, and means affording rifle bearing for the device. 13. A device ofv the character' described comprising a cylindrical shell with an internal shoulder spaced from itsclosed in bottom, a tapering-conoidal projectile with longitudin al and lateral gropvings about its inner face and a dished base seatin on the shell Gshoulder` with interposition o n a sealing annulus, said projectile setting apart in the shell an acute-triangulate annular explosive chamber and a frusto-conical similar chamber, ignition tubes connecting the rojectile time fuse with such explosive cham ers and back into l said@ proj ectile, outwardly diverging barrels filled with shot around theA projectile having tapering openings into the first mentioned -explosive chamber, means normally closing in the outer ends of said barrels, a lock collar securing the projectile in the fshell, and means n' affording rifle bearing for the device.

Intestimony whereof I aliix my signature at Philadelphia, Pa., this 21st day of July,

.NATALINO DORSANEO., 

